Asia Media Festival 2007 Poised To Exceed Expectations

The region’s premier business platform for the media industry, Asia Media Festival (AMF) is set to exceed expectations this year. Some 5,400 trade participants, a 16 per cent increase from last year, will attend the Festival in 2007. The total number of entries received across the different events – including Promax/BDA Awards, which rejoins AMF this year – has also increased by some 6 per cent.

Hosted by the Media Development Authority (MDA) of Singapore and organised by Reed Exhibitions, in collaboration with key industry partners, AMF 2007 encompasses the whole value chain of the media business – from media financing to content creation, production and distribution within the entire media ecosystem, including TV, film, animation, documentaries and mobile broadcasting. This year, the AMF will be held in Singapore from 14 November to 4 December.

The AMF market has seen phenomenal growth over the years in terms of programming sales. More than US$47 million worth of deals were concluded last year, surpassing 2005's US$33 million by some 42 per cent.

“Asia Television Forum, the anchor event for AMF, has been growing in strength every year. With the continuous support from the industry, this year’s event is expected to grow by more than 10 per cent. We look forward to welcoming more than 40 new companies to the market and participants from over 50 countries,” said Ms Michelle Lim, General Manager, Reed Exhibitions, Singapore-Malaysia. “To cater to this growing industry demand, we have made plans to move to a larger venue at Suntec Singapore in 2008.”

Majors such as CBS Paramount Television, Disney-ABC International Television, Lions Gate Entertainment and NBC Universal Television Distribution continue to show strong support for ATF. Australia, France, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain and Taiwan will be leading national pavilions to ATF, leveraging on AMF’s strengths as an international media marketplace to showcase their respective country’s latest offerings. In addition, key regional buyers, including Beijing TV (China), Zee Entertainment (India), KBS (South Korea), ASTRO (Malaysia), Bangkok Broadcasting &TV Co Ltd (Thailand), PT Surya Citra Televisi (Indonesia), Cambodia Television Network (Cambodia), Associated Broadcasting Company (Philippines) and Al Jazeera Documentary Channel (Qatar), will be making their presence felt at the marketplace.

And reflecting the growing stature of AMF as the region’s leading media event, a number of prestigious trade events will, for the first time, be held in conjunction with the Festival. These are the inaugural Asia Factual Forum and Apollo Awards.

“Asia Media Festival is designed to be aligned with market needs and the latest industry trends. This year’s event is no exception as we see a strong focus on industry hot topics, such as content protection and sports programming, drawing interest among participants and speakers alike,” said Dr Christopher Chia, Chief Executive Officer, MDA. “Compelling media content transcends global boundaries, and in an industry where cross-continent collaborations are shaping the way media professionals work, Singapore, as an East-West gateway will continue to grow in importance.”

Highlights of the Media Financing Forum and the Asia Factual Forum
The Media Financing Forum (MFF), a key AMF event, features a distinguished speaker line-up of eighteen international distributors and financiers, almost double the previous year. Among the luminaries attending the event are Mr Edward R. Pressman, producer of “Wall Street”, “American Psycho”, “Thank You for Smoking” and “The Cooler” and who has been credited for giving Oliver Stone his major directorial debut with “The Hand”;and Mr Cassian Elwes, Senior Vice President and Co-Head of William Morris International, an associate company of William Morris Agency (WMA), the largest talent agency in the world, and which was involved in the financing and distribution of over 30 films such as “The English Patient”, “Pulp Fiction” and “The Apostles”. Mr Ashok Amritraj, Chairman and Chief Executive of Hyde Park Entertainment will open the MFF with his views on trends in media content financing, with special emphasis on Asia. As part of MFF, the Media Financing Lounge will offer aspiring producers the opportunity to have one-to-one meetings with participating international financiers to present their projects for financing consideration.

Also taking centrestage this year is the Asia Factual Forum (AFF), a first-of-its-kind event in the region. Designed to showcase the latest, finest and richest content in documentary genre, AFF provides a platform for professional development, business and social networking while focusing on an east-west partnership. It aims to establish Singapore as a regional hub for co-production of factual content. During the three-day forum, participants will not only have the opportunity to cultivate partnerships with international producers and broadcasters, they will also be discussing opportunities and challenges presented by this fast-growing industry with some of the best minds in documentary production. Critically-acclaimed filmmaker, Ruby Yang, whose documentary The Blood of Yingzhou District won the 79th Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject, will be sharing her experience in creating factual content with international appeal and resonance, at the inaugural AFF.

Testament to the prominence and demand for Asian documentaries in the industry worldwide, AFF has secured the participation of international bigwigs, such as Discovery Channel, National Geographic, FremantleMedia Asia, AETN, BBC Global and History Channel, in the factual content genre.

In short, the AMF will boast a wide array of workshops, conferences and exhibitions, designed to encompass all aspects in the business of media under the following partner events:

• Apollo Awards*
• Asia Animation Conference (AAN)
• Asia Factual Forum* (AFF)
• Asia Film Market and Conference (AFMC)
• Asia Television Forum (ATF)
• Asian Festival of 1st Films (AFFF)
• Asian Television Awards (ATA)
• Media Financing Forum (MFF)
• Promax/BDA Asia

(Events marked with * are new to AMF this year. Please see Appendix A for more event details.)

Country Co-Pro Showcase for financing and collaboration opportunities
Leveraging AMF’s position as the leading business platform in Asia, MDA will provide a platform for existing country partners with whom Singapore has co-pro agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with – Australia, France, Italy, Korea and the Philippines – to showcase their media industry incentives, programmes and their respective local media talents for possible financing and co-production opportunities. Delegates can use the session to introduce and profile their industry participants' interests and projects to both Singapore and other international production companies via a forum-cum-networking format on 28 and 29 November.

Honouring the best at AMF 2007
Underscoring the prestige and premier status of AMF, more than 1,350 entries will vie for the Asian Television Awards which is into its 12th year, while the selection committee at the Asian Festival of 1st Films will nominate 32 finalists from more than 500 entries. Similarly, some 420 entries have been received for the Apollo Awards, and another 1,400 entries will compete for Promax/BDA Awards which recognises excellence in on-air promotion, branding and advertising.

As part of ATA, regional celebrities and top executives from broadcasting stations will be in town to participate in this star-studded event.

The popular SuperPitch, which offers media professionals a unique platform to make a pitch to a panel of international judges and bring their ideas to life, takes on a new format this year. This is in line with the global industry trend of media convergence. Entries for the revamped cross-platform competition must be based on original content in any two of the following five platforms: web, TV/film, mobile, gaming and interactive media.

Public encouraged to join in the buzz
Running parallel to the trade events at AMF 2007, some 20 public events and activities, under MDA’s MediAction! campaign, will be held over the next two months to inspire Singaporeans to discover the possibilities that media can offer for work, learning and play. Through workshops, competitions, and exhibitions, more than 160,000 participants will have the opportunity to acquire media literacy skills to better appreciate media and progress from being passive consumers to active prosumers. These activities encourage participants to use media to express their creativity and produce content such as digital videos, short films, games and animation.

About Asia Media Festival 2007

The Asia Media Festival (AMF) 2007 is a media fiesta, held from 14 November to 4 December 2007, comprising events for both trade professionals and consumers. Hosted by the Media Development Authority (MDA), the Festival offers opportunities for the media industry to share best practices, forge strong business networks and foster international collaborations under its line-up of premier trade events, namely: Promax BDA Asia, Asia Factual Forum, Media Financing Forum, Asia Television Forum, Asia Film Market &Conference, Asia Animation Conference, Asian Festival of 1st Films, Apollo Awards and Asian Television Awards. Running parallel to the trade events is MediAction!, an outreach initiative organised by MDA to inspire the general public to discover the benefits and possibilities that media can offer for work, learning and play. More information on AMF 2007 can be found at www.asiamediafestival.com.

About Media Development Authority of Singapore

Formed in 2003, the Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) plays a vital role in transforming Singapore into a Global Media City and positioning it at the forefront of the digital media age. MDA spearheads initiatives that promote developments in film, video, television, radio, publishing, music, games, animation, media services and Interactive Digital Media. At the same time, in ensuring clear and consistent regulatory policies and guidelines, MDA helps to foster a pro-business environment for industry players and increase media choices for consumers. For more information, visit www.mda.gov.sg

About Singapore Media Fusion (SMF)

The Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) has developed the “Singapore Media Fusion” (SMF) strategic positioning which encapsulates the attributes of the media industry in showcasing Singapore as a global media city. SMF is a mark of the quality of our products and services and the collective richness and diversity of the media industry. The positioning not only lends consistency in the manner to which the Singapore media industry is represented and promoted, it is also intended to enhance the image of Singapore media at an international level, in a compelling and coherent manner. For more information, visit www.smf.sg

About Reed Exhibitions

Reed Exhibitions is the world's leading organiser of trade and consumer events where buyers and suppliers come together to do business. Every year, Reed Exhibitions events bring together some 90,000 suppliers and over 5.5 million buyers from around the world. Today, Reed events are held in 38 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, and organised by 33 fully staffed offices. Our portfolio of over 460 events serves 52 industry sectors.

Since its incorporation in May 1978, Reed Exhibitions Pte Ltd, which has its place of business in Singapore, remains dynamic and continues to be innovative in its event organisation. It presently promotes an international portfolio covering diverse industries, including Technology and Telecomm, Manufacturing and Processing, Entertainment and Media, Retail and Consumer and Healthcare. For more information, please visit www.reedexpo.com.sg

For media enquiries, please contact:
Selena Sheikh
Burson-Marsteller for Asia Media Festival
Tel.    : +65 6829 9304
Mobile : +65 9746 8519
Email : selena.sheikh@bm.com

Genevieve Chow
Burson-Marsteller for Asia Media Festival
Tel.    : +65 6829 9321
Mobile : +65 9431 9811
Email : genevieve.chow@bm.com

Sharon Tan
Manager, Communications
Media Development Authority
Tel.    : +65 6837 9011
Mobile : +65 9185 7882
Email : sharon_tan@imda.gov.sg

Joyce Liong
Senior Marketing Manager
Reed Exhibitions Singapore
Tel.    : +65 6780 4668
Email : joyce.liong@reedexpo.com.sg